Peter’s Hospital Diary

Yes it really is a week since I last posted, and amazingly, 25 weeks since I had the transplant – 6 months ago!

Looking over the last few posts, I seem to be getting away from the original purpose, which was health updates! Certainly that is a sign that my health is improving and I feel that I am getting stronger each day. I suspect the GvHd is still rumbling on a bit, but my skin is generally much less itchy than it has been, and less ‘flaky’ and I am applying the steroid creams much more sparingly. I am still taking prophylactic anti-biotics while my new immune system builds its strength up. My sense of smell is still impaired, although that seems to be returning. I can smell something, but everything smells the same. (The scent of the flowers from the Palace gardens was completely lost to me). I imagine it is a little like being deaf or colour blind – I can sense sometthing, but the detail is missing.

There are two significant events on the hospital horizon: The first is a repeat lung function test, scheduled for next Thursday, although I may try to postpone that for a week to coincide with my next check up with Linny. The second will be my 16th PET scan, which will be in a couple of weeks although I haven’t yet had the appointment.

I seem to have come a long way in the last 6 months, and I can’t quite believe that it was so long ago! Your comments and support have made it pass very quickly! Thank you.

So what have I been up to in the last week? Well, after the server update I needed a day or so to tidy up a few loose ends, but that is complete. The acid test was to see if it all worked when the old software was un-installed – it did! I was in charge at home over the weekend (Felicity was away) and although the children were resigned to a diet of “something on toast” I surprised them with a full roast dinner with all the trimmings on Sunday!

However the highlight of the week was a visit to a tea party on Tuesday. Not just any old tea party, but a Garden Party at Buckingham Palace! This came about through a nomination from LeukaemiaCare (you may recall that I am a volunteer worker with them). We travelled up London on Tuesday morning, to our friends’ flat, changed and took a taxi to the Palace. We didn’t get to meet any of the Royal Party, but we had a lovely afternoon, taking tea and wandering round the grounds (with about 5,000 other guests!) before getting a taxi back to the flat. We finished off the day with dinner, and drove home yesterday. Photography is banned in the Palace grounds, so I’m afraid no pictures!

The final bit of news is that I am going back to work part time tomorrow! This is for a briefing on a small project, some of which I’ll be able to do from home, but it will ease me back into the discipline of going to work!

So that comes back to the question of “where does the blog go from here?” I think I’ll delay that decision until after the next PET scan result, or when I go back to work, but those events might prove to be natural breakpoints.

But until then… Onwards and Upwards!